iron signpost
Recovery and restoration
This iron signpost was recovered from a ditch at Cupids Corner in 2020 by members of the Shoeburyness & South Essex Branch of the Royal Artillery Association. Cupids Corner is just south of the village of Great Wakering and approximately 2 miles north east of the Cart and Wagon Shed.
One of the arms of the sign pointed to Shoeburyness. The sign is missing most of its other arm. It is likely that this second arm would have stated Great Wakering (the second “g” is visible on the remaining stub). Despite an extensive search of the area, the missing piece could not be found.
Essex County Council, the primary highways authority for Essex and who were therefore believed to be the owners of the sign at the time, gave permission for its recovery.
The sign was taken to the Branch’s gun shed where the late Patrick Nixon, a former Royal Artillery national serviceman, undertook a full bare metal restoration over a period of four months.
Following restoration, the sign was installed free-of-charge by Taylor Wimpey for display outside the Cart and Wagon Shed.
History and local government
The sign bears the legend “R.R.D.C.” This stood for Rochford Rural District Council. Rochford RDC was created in 1894 and abolished in 1974. It covered a large number of parishes across south east Essex. Rochford existed as an important market town in the middle ages long before Southend emerged as a substantial settlement in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Rochford had previously been the centre of the Rochford Hundred, established by the Saxons, which stretched from the River Crouch to the River Thames and included Leigh, Benfleet, the small hamlet of South End, North and South Shoebury, Rayleigh and Canvey Island.
At its formation, Rochford RDC included the parish of North Shoebury (as mentioned on the sign) while the parish of South Shoebury was converted into a separate urban district with its own council, which was renamed Shoeburyness Urban District Council in 1895.
In 1933, the greater part of North Shoebury – together with Shoeburyness urban district – were absorbed into the County Borough of Southend-on-Sea. At the same time, a small section of North Shoebury was incorporated into the parish of Great Wakering and remained within the Rochford RDC area.
Based on this history, we can deduce that the sign was commissioned sometime between 1894 and 1933.
Manufacture
The sign features the name of its makers, Maldon Iron Works Company Limited, on its directional arms. Maldon Iron Works was formed in 1833 by Joseph Warren who had started work as a typical village blacksmith but went on to develop a large foundry at Heybridge near Maldon. By 1870, it was employing about 90 men. In 1872, Joseph died and the works were transferred into a limited company, Maldon Iron Works Company Limited. The company constructed substantial new premises at Fullbridge in Maldon in 1875. The company specialised in manufacturing agricultural equipment but, at the height of its business, it was also believed to making 90% of all signs for Essex roads. The iron works eventually shut down during the 1950’s. The Fullbridge premises are still standing and have been split into units for retail, hospitality and leisure use.